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Creamy Chicken Casserole Skillet: A 30-Minute Meal


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  • Author: Evelyn Marcella Rivera
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

A cozy, weeknight-friendly skillet casserole packed with whole-wheat pasta, juicy chicken, spinach, and a silky Parmesan cream sauce—bubbly, golden, and on the table fast.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Pasta

  • 6 oz whole-wheat pasta (rotini or elbows)

Vegetables & Aromatics

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for sautéing)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (for vegetables)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (for vegetables)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Creamy Parmesan Sauce

  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for roux)
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (stir into sauce)
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (for sauce)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (for sauce)

Add-Ins & Topping

  • 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
  • 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and boil pasta: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Boil salted water, cook pasta to al dente, drain and set aside.
  2. Sauté vegetables: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Cook onion 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; cook 4–6 minutes until tender. Stir in garlic for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
  3. Make sauce: Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the skillet. Sprinkle in flour; whisk 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and Dijon; cook 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. Season & combine: Off heat, whisk in 1/2 cup Parmesan, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir in pasta, chicken, squeezed-dry spinach, and the onion-mushroom mixture until coated.
  5. Bake: Smooth the top, sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, and bake 15 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden. Serve hot.

Notes

Use any short pasta shape. For extra richness, swap in half-and-half for part of the milk. Make-ahead: assemble up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate; add 5–10 minutes to bake time.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Casserole, Dinner
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 580
  • Sugar: 7
  • Sodium: 780
  • Fat: 25
  • Saturated Fat: 8
  • Carbohydrates: 48
  • Fiber: 8
  • Protein: 40
  • Cholesterol: 95